Pride
by Kate Has The Wings
Summary: To save his warded team from the Toguro brothers, Kuwabara makes 3 deals to set them free. But what are the Toguro bro's real plan? Why are they helping


Kat-Wings: On June 29 I went into surgery, and Half of this story (The second half) was written while on pain killers. Don't kill me! ;;

* * *

Kuwabara sighed. Life had been so different for him, especially since his teammates were angry with him, or they would be if they could remember who the heck 'Kuwabara' was. Kuwabara did something he knew no one would've approved of. He basically sold himself to save the world. It didn't make sense, but he knew that what had to happen, well, it had to happen. No one remembered Kuwabara, Not Genkai, or Koenma, or even George, everyone's mind had been cleared of everything about him.

It happened on a mission, a stupid 'mission' if you could even call it that, one year after he and Yusuke became... well, intimate. Yusuke and himself were either on a mission, or with eachother, hanging out, snuggling, making noise in the bedroom, or eating, that's all they did anymore. They genuinely loved eachother. Yusuke and Kuwabara were inseperable, and they loved it.

Kuwabara woke up that morning, felling sick to his stomach, and ran to the bathroom before throwing up. He was disgusted, there was... blood in his barf. That only happened to Kuwabara when something terrible was going to occur, and I mean like life-changing-world-threatening kind of deal. Kuwabara looked for Yusuke and was upset when he couldn't find him. Botan appeared, and told him shakily that he was being called to the Makai by the Toguro Brothers.

* * *

The Toguro brothers had escaped Limbo, and they had called out Kuwabara. Kuwabara hadn't seen Yusuke or the others that day, so he immediatly knew who, or what happened to them. Kuwabara had a feeling about this day, a horrible pang in his chest that just worsened as he got to the Makai, and got even worse when he saw Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama warded, and at the Brothers' mercy. Kuwabara saw them struggle against the flimsy rope tying them, but they were useless.

Their screams were heard clearly however.

"Get out of here!" Kurama growled weakly."Please, we...can... handle ourselves."

"Go! Leave! I don't want you to listen to them!" Yusuke pleaded, in tears. "Don't listen to them, God, please don't listen to him! If you love me at all, don't even look back, just go! Get back up!"

"Leave now! Don't you get it? It's a trap! They're gonna make you sacrifice yourself, idiot! Get out, we can handle this!" Hiei hissed.

It was obvious they couldn't. Yusuke's wrists were bloodied from the rope, and he had cuts all over his arms, his abdomen, and his chest. Kurama looked weak, completely out of it, eyes glazed over, and his hair highlighted with White, Kitsune ears popped adorably out of his hair. Hiei was bruised, bloody, and half naked, Kuwabara knew what must've happened. They had been seriously hurt, and there was nothing they themselves could do about it. Kuwabara couldn't see his friends hurt like this. Not even Hiei, who he had... hardly tolerated for the past few weeks.

The Toguro brothers, Oto and Ani, just waited there.

"I know what this is." Kuwabara told softly.

"Then get the hell out of here!" Hiei hissed. "You idiot!"

Yusuke was sobbing hysterically. He couldn't even make coherent words at the moment, just knowing he would lose Kuwabara in mere minnutes.

"What's the deal?" Kuwabara asked. "There's gotta be a deal, or ya'd of attacked me already."

"What the hell are you doing!" Hiei snarled. "What you do could affect more than just yourself and us! It could have serious repercussions!"

"Don't play nice!" Kurama shouted.

"I ain't letting you guys down." Kuwabara shrugged, still in a neutral state. "The deal?"

"There is one deal for each of them." Ani smirked, sitting on Oto's shoulder.

"For 'Rama?" Kuwabara asked, knowing Kurama was by far in the worst condition. Kuwabara put a hand to Kurama's forehead, he was burning up. He ran a hand through his hair, calming the man down slightly. "Breathe. Deep breaths." He coaxed softly to him. "No hyperventalatin'."

"You will be warded for the rest of your life." Ani told.

"Done." Kuwabara nodded solemnly, rubbing Kurama's ear's soothingly. "You'll be alright." Kuwabara dug into his pocket, he had taken Ibuprophen with him incase his headache returned, but this is where it was needed. He tiled Kurama's head back, and slipped three pills between his lips, rubbing Kurama's throat to encourage swallowing. Kurama swallowed.

Kuwabara thought breifly back to that time when Kurama had fallen ill, and stuck in his Youko form, he couldn't return home, but if he didn't get some TLC, medicine, and chicken soup, he would be in a grim situation. So Kuwabara brought him to his house, and nursed him back to health. For two weeks Kurama was bed ridden in his Youko form, and Kuwabara rarely left his side, they talked, and had gotten to be closer.

Kurama, when he was finally healthy faked sick for three more days just to stick around. He had grown rather attached to the boy. Kurama had found a new respect for Kuwabara, and they breifly dated before realizing they were more brothers than lovers, but the sex had been great. Kuwabara smiled at that. Who'd a thunk that when you subdue a fox he'd mew like a kitten?

Kuwabara kissed his forehead.

"You idiot!" Yusuke sobbed.

Oto warded Kuwabara, and Kurama disappeared in a flash of smoke and light. Kuwabara sighed, feeling weak and tired. Ani's smirk grew sinister.

"What about Uremeshi?" Kuwabara asked.

"You will disassociate yourself from any demon, or Spirit Detective you now know. " Ani stated.

"Don't do it!" Yusuke pleaded. "If you love me--"

"Then I have to give you up." Kuwabara couldn't meet his eyes, the pang in his chest almost unbarable. " 'N Hiei?"

"Everyone who associates with you, and has any connection to the Underworld will completely forget about you." Oto said

"What about my sis?" Kuwabara asked

"She'll just forget that you had anything to do with being a Spirit Detective, she will forget Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, everyone you met because of the Underworld." Ani elaborated.

"Kuwabara--" Yusuke broke off into more hysterical sobs.

"You're making a big mistake!" Hiei warned. "Look what you're really doing!"

"Gimme five minutes with each of them?" Kuwabara asked

"Couldn't hurt." Ani and Oto walked off, close so they could stop anything from happening, and far enough so they couldn't really hear.

"Uremeshi... Yusuke..." Kuwabara knelt next to him.

"Don't do this, please, don't." Yusuke begged.

Kuwabara kissed him gently. "You won't remember this, so it won't hurt. I'm doing what needs to be done. It won't hurt you any, be glad."

"It WILL hurt." Yusuke sobbed.

"Stop being a baby, I don't want to remember you like this." Kuwabara whispered.

Yusuke bit back the sobs, and nodded. Kuwabara kissed him passionately, for the very last time.

"I love you." Kuwabara whispered.

"I love you. Please... Don't do this."

"I got to. You know that. I'll always remember." Kuwabara said, and Kissed Yusuke's forehead, before he poofed away.

"You're a goddamned idiot, Kuwabara." Hiei growled.

"Since when do I have a name?" Kuwabara smiled.

"You are making a mistake. Why would they do this to you? Did you think that they wanted you out for a reason? Something is going to happen, and when we need your help, you won't be there!" Hiei warned.

"Finally admittin' I'm worth sumthin'?" Kuwabara asked.

"Don't act like it doesn't hurt you. I can see right through your foolish act." Hiei growled. "Stop acting tough, you don't want to do this."

"Never said I did." Kuwabara admitted. "But even you don't deserve this indignity."

"I can survive a damn indignity, my pride will allow it. How long will Yusuke survive, though? How long will Kurama cry? How long will--"

"Just make sure Kurama and Yusuke are all right, and make sure Yusuke finds someone to love, okay? Don't let him be alone after me." Kuwabara asked gently. "Please."

"Don't waste your breath, it's your fault." Hiei scowled. "Your foolish choices are going to get you killed!"

"N'you won't even miss me, will you?" Kuwabara chuckled sadly.

"I never Said I hated you." Hiei admitted.

"Good to know. Didn't hate you all that much either I guess." Kuwabara whispered. "You have to go, so while you won't have a memory of this, you won't be able to kill me," Kuwabara pressed his lips to Hiei's passionatly, to Hiei's astonishment, and he poofed away.

The Brothers walked back, and each of them held a hand up, and snapped their fingers. Kuwabara knew the deal was done, and he turned away. Kuwabara walked home, tears running down his face. Kuwabara knew they were safe. He knew Oto was good for his word. It was a long story, but he knew Oto wouldn't make a deal and break it. Kuwabara fell onto his bed, and cried himself to sleep.

The next day came, and he went to school, did his work, came home, did his homework, and went back to bed. He didn't eat for days on end.

"I need a new hobby." Kuwabara cried himself to sleep.

* * *

Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke sat in Koenma's office, and for some reason they had tears in their eyes, and horrible pangs in their chest. Koenma sat bawling onto Georges shoulder, and no one could explain why. No one knew why Genkai didn't get out of bed, and why Yukina had to be restrained from slitting her wrists. It was so... unlike all of them. Botan sat mopily, eating pound after pound of fudge.

No one knew why Mitari had drowned himself, or why Jin had... disappeared. No one could find Touya, and Yusuke was... lost in his own mind. No one knew why.

When Hiei arrived, he had sworn in seven different languages, and fell silent. He brought a hand to his lips, and then forgot why he was touching them.

The days passed, not getting better for any of them. Hiei felt lonely, and Kurama didn't say a word since they had gotten back. Yusuke's spirit was gone, Yusuke wasn't Yusuke. Koenma had taken a few days off for the first time in a few millenia, and Botan kept eating fudge.

* * *

They walked the streets, studying the skies, the stores, the sewers. They talked with the people casually almost. They played in the park, they played football with the children of the streets. That was a sight to see. It was so out of character for them, and that was exactly the reason they were acting like that. Part of "The big plan" for ... well I can't ruin the plot... But they were severly out of character, and they even had a reason for it. they had to study each nook and cranny, know every child, every granny. Soon the time would come and everyone would have to be accounted for and taken away while this place was turned into a battle feild. While this place was decemated beyond comparison. Before the Toguro brothers had to do what was needed to save existance.

"To think we're helping them." Ani chuckled, to Oto, while handing out flowers to a passing woman, "They're free." He told the woman. "Have a nice day!"

"I. Hate. This." Oto grumbled, he was faking a smile, and wearing a pink frilly apron. "When we get out of here, I will slit your throat for this."

"Awww, but you're so cute!" Ani cooed to him.

"Shut up."

"You know very well why we have to do this!" Ani pouted.

"We could just go to their door and knock. Pretend to be Jahova mistresses." Oto sighed.

"WITNESSES!" Ani blew up at him, and the people on the sidewalks looked at him in shock. "I'm sorry, My brother is studying for his Scout badge in... Criminal Justice... and you know how strict we have to be with little kids..." Ani covered, smiled nervously. God, he was a forty year old man, and Oto in his thirties, would this work? He hoped. It was unlikely, he was graying, but kids he knew had gray hair, who knew these days, right?

"Wow... Kids get so big these days! First that oaf who almost killed himself. Four-teen! Thought he was invincible. Tried to stop a runaway train, had children on it, ya know! Must've forgotten he was Human like the rest of us! Kudahara was it?" An old lady nodded, speaking to Ani, while patting Oto's hand.

"Kuwabara?" Ani asked quietly, almost suspiciously.

"Yes! I believe that was his name!" The lady smiled. "He a friend of yours?"

"More or less... He's... family actually." Ani nodded, sighing deeply.

"Oh my! I'm sorry you had to hear it from me, child!" The lady pulled Ani into a hug, and whispered. "I live a few streets down, if you'd like me to watch over your little brother while you go visit him, I will. I'll give him cookies, let him watch some cartoons, keep him calm."

"I... I'd like that." Ani nodded. He had no idea why he had said yes, but, hey... What's wrong with Oto having a child's day? "Oh! My name is Ikino, this is my twelve year old brother, Utouta."

"I wish we had met under better circumstances. I'm Rail." Rail took "Uto"'s hand, and led the man away. Oto was not very happy.

* * *

Ani rushed to the hospital. Dodged passed the people, and still kept the flowers in hand. He ran into the hospital, passed the security desk, and searched room after room, and after two security guards were well on their way to the emergency ward for delaying him, he found Kuwabara on a hospital bed.

"What were you thinking!" Ani almost shreiked, shutting the door, grabbing Kuwawara by the arms.

Kuwabara just turned his head, blandly. "The kids lived 'cause a'me." Kuwabara told. "Didn't try to kill myself. In my code. Got to."

Ani, slightly panting, shaking slightly. "You're undoing everything we were planning!" Ani almost sobbed. Tears streaked down his face, and he threw the flowers at the wall. "Everything we worked so hard for just went down the drain because of your stupid stunt!"

Not to say Kuwabara wasn't confused as all of everything everywhere, but he frailly pulled Ani to his chest, hugging him. Kuwabara held the man, who pushed him away roughly.

" Don't touch me! Don't harm yourself! And don't act as if everything is peachy keen! The reason we got you out of there will soon come to face us! If you're injured when the world needs you most then--"Ani caught himself.

"I'm warded! What could I do for the freaken world anymore?" Kuwabara growled.

"...You... Aren't warded... Not the way you think you are." Ani sighed. "I can only tell you a few things. Some things need to be earned, learned by yourself, and learned along the way." Kuwabara sat up, and Ani sat cross-legged at the end of the bed, facing Kuwabara.

"What are you talking about?" Kuwabara asked. "What can you tell me now?"

"Oto and I, we never Escaped Limbo. We were let out. No one remembers that now, so we're more like fugitives. We got wind of an event in the near future. I can not disclose what it is yet." Ani explained. "We knew what we had to do. We had to seperate you from Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei. I can't disclose why. We had to make everyone forget about you for your own safety. We had to Ward you. This ward is very different. It's the reason you're alive after that stunt you pulled." Ani finished. "It is also the reason so many people will be coming to this town, people you will recognize, but they will not recognize you. Do not approach them, no matter who it is. Sensui, Itsuki, or anyone from the tournaments! No one!"

"What does this Ward do? Why will they be coming here?" Kuwabara looked at the palm of his hands, inspecting them.

"I can't disclose that just yet, but just trust me."

"What does Disclose mean?"

* * *

Yusuke's body was being roughly ravished, pumped and pounded at deadening intervals, and gosh, was it good. Yusuke held on for dear life, begging for more, panting, mewling helplessly. Tough grunts rang beautifully in Yusuke's ear, his neck bruised from lips that couldn't get enough, his hips bruised even worse, as large hands held him tightly, clung to his lithe hips. His legs wrapped tightly around a wide muscled back, his hands grabbing anything and everything, the man's back, his hair, the bed, it didn't matter as his world was split in two, and then two again as lips caressed his ear, whispering in a delicious voice over and over that made his cock twitch with wild lust and passion,"Yusuke".

"Yusuke! Get your ass out of bed!" Atsuko yelled into his ear, rudely awakening him from the dream. "I've been calling your name for ten minutes!"

"I'm up!"

That same reoccuring dream of the man who's face was not seen but more felt.

"What do you want?" Yusuke asked.

"Go shopping, I'm outta booze." Yusuke sighed at her response.

"Get in bed." Yusuke got up, and got into the shower, he hadn't stained the bed, he was woken too early for that, but he had never seen himself so large, and hard in all of his life. Yusuke turned the hot water off, and let the freezing cold wash over him. He wouldn't touch himself, and no one else would either, not until he found that man, that man in his dreams, who he was sure was real. He was saving himself for the man he loved. Within the dreams, whether it be just romantic, or hard, beautiful sex, Yusuke had fallen in love. But... With who?

* * *

What will happen to our team?

What was Ani Toguro talking about?

Will Yusuke find his mystery man?

What is going on with Oto and Ani!

What is this mention of a battle feild?

Kat-wings: Reveiw if it's even worth wasting time continuing, that way I know what to write. I took a new style for the little lemon, if you like it more, tell me so, and I'll see what I can whip up ;; No innuendo meant. I like writing it, if you like reading it, then we're good to go! Check the names backwards. Ikino and Utouta are Otouto and Aniki backwards with their first letters switched. Plus that ladies name shows she's smarter than she lets on.


End file.
